Railroad-tie.



J. A. BYERS.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLIcATIoN FILED JULY 1-1. 190s.

Patented May 11, 1909.

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UNITED i STANT J AMES A. BYERS, OF OENTERVILLE,TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO JAMES R. BYERS, OF GHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

RAILROAD-TIE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

y Application filed. July 11, 1908. Serial No. 443,117.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, JAMEs Ajrnns, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Centerville,in the county of Hickman and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Ties, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exactdescription as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in metallic railroad ties and itconsists in certain novel features hereinafter first fully described andthen particularly pointed out in the claims. p

In the annexed drawings ,which fully illustrate the invention, Figure 1isa side elevation of a tie constructed in accordance with myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a lan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a longitu inalsection thereof, and Fig. l is a transverse section.

In carrying out my invention, I employ two metallic boxes, 1, 1, whichare preferably of cast iron and are to be set in the road-bed at theproper distance apart to support the track rails. These boxes areconstructed with base plates, 2, which extend beyond the sides and endsof the boxes and are provided on their under sides with inwardly and-upfWardly beveled iianges or ribs, 3, extending around the four edges ofthe base plates Vand adapted to take into the ground. Extending upwardfrom the corners yand' fromthe sides of'the base plates to the tops ofthe boxes are braces, 4, yforthe purpose of rein" forcing the boxes andpreventing collapse of the same inthe event of breakage of the same fromany cause. `The end walls of the boxes are formed with angular openingsor notches, 5, which receive the ends of connecting bars, 6, preferablyformed of wrought or malleable iron or steel. These connecting bars fprevent the spreading apart: of the boxes and are firmly secured thereinby means of vertically disposed bolts, 7, extending through the baseplates andthe tops ofthe boxes and also serving to secure therail-clamps, 8, in

position on thetopsof the boxes kto receive and hold the track rails.

The tie constructed and assembled as described is placed transversely ofthe roadbed and the rails are held thereto by having their base flangesengaged under the clam s 8 as will be readily understood. It will enoticed that the bolts which secure the railclamps also secure theconnecting bars within the boxes and thus provide against spreading ofthe rails. The arrangement also facilitates the laying of the track byreducing the number of bolts to be handled in securing all the partstogether. flange or rib on the under side of the box takes into theground and consequently aids in securing the same firmly in place whilethe projecting portion of the base plates rovides a surface for the recetion of bal ast, the result being 4that the oxes are yery veifectually`buried in the roadbed. Inasmuch as I employ two connecting barsextending between the bottoms and tops of the boxes, spreading of theboxes and rails is positively guarded against while the tam ingofballast between the boxes may e done more efficiently than with thewooden ties now in common use.

The tie is composed of few arts, is simple in construction and can fieeasily and cheaply manufactured and placed in position. l

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure byLetters-Patent is 1. A metallic railroad tie comprising boxes adapted tosupport the track rails and provided with openings in their end walls,connecting bars extending between the boxes and fitted in the saidopenings, and vertically disposedbolts fitted in the top and bottom ofthe boxes and inserted through the connecting bars.

2. A metallic railroad tie comprising boxes adapted to support the trackrails, connecting bars having their ends fitted in the said boxes,rail-clamps on the upper sides of the boxes, and bolts extending throughthe tops and bottoms of the boxes and securing both the connecting barsand the rail-clamps.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses. l

Y JAMES A. BYERS. Witnesses:

W. SAM. WooLARD, B. W'. EDWARDS.

The beveled

